110 SYSTEilATIC PALEONTOLOGY 



Sphyexa peisca Agassiz. 

 Plate XIY, Figs. Ta, Tb. 



Sphyrna prisca Agassiz, ISio. Foiss. Foss., vol. iii, p. 234, pi. ssvia, tins. 35-50. 

 Spfiyrna prisca Gibbes, 1849. Jour. Acad. ^Tat. Sci. Phila., 2nd ser., toI. i, p. 194, 



pi. XXV, figs. 88-90. 

 Lamna compressa (pars) Emmons, 1858. Rept. Geol. Surv. N. Car., p. 240, tigs. 



79-81. 

 (?) Sphyrna denticulata Emmons, 1858. Loc. cit., p. 241, fig. 84a. 



Description. — Teeth small, broad, gently oblique, often erect, with 

 finely serrated edges. 



This species is very abundant in the Eocene of South Carolina and 

 Miocene of Maryland, but only two or three rather imperfect examples 

 have been obtained from the Eocene of this state. There was also found 

 one doubtful tootli, which may possibly belong to a distinct species. 



Occurrence. — Aquia Foematiox. Liverpool Point. 



Collection. — Maryland Geological Survey. 



SELACHIAN VERTEBRAE. 

 Detached vertebrae of the Asterospondylic t3'23e, consisting of calcified 

 cartilage and therefore not aa'cII adapted for preservation, are occasionally 

 met with in the Eocene of Clifton Beach and a few other localities in 

 Maryland and Virginia. Some of the larger ones are but slightly eon- 

 cave on both faces, and belong without doubt among the Lamxidae, 

 possibly to Otodus or Carcharoclon. Detached vertebrae of both Elas- 

 mobranch and Teleost fishes are much more common in the Miocene 

 than Eocene, and represent a considerable variety of forms. In Plate 

 XII, Figs. 7a and 7h are represented detached vertebrae of an indeter- 

 minate species of bony fishes. 



Subclass TELEOSTOMl. 



Order ACTINOPTERYGII. 



Eemains of bony fishes are very rare in the Tertiary of the Middle 

 Atlantic Slope, and are confined to detached vertebrae, otolites and por- 

 tions of the dentition. A few species founded on detached teeth from 



